


Fix

by rebelwritesthings



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Almost definitely very out of character, F/M, Fluff, It’s four am I should be sleeping but instead I wrote this, James Buchanan Barnes is a good boyfriend, Romantic Fluffy Goodness, idfk, very little plot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-19 17:12:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19137088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebelwritesthings/pseuds/rebelwritesthings
Summary: Sometimes when Natalia comes home from a mission she’s broken, and in those times it falls to James to piece her back together.





	Fix

**Author's Note:**

> I haven’t really written for this shop before, and I haven’t written at all in months but I got this idea and tried to run with it. I hope it’s okay.

 

James was pacing. He’d gotten a text from Natalia forty minutes ago saying that the quinjet bringing her home to him had landed at the compound. That meant he had approximately twenty minutes until his worry reached it’s peak and he could no longer just wait for her to get home. She was two days later than expected, and while there were countless times it had been worse and she was fine, James’ overprotectiveness was incessant. 

 

At least he had one comfort. She couldn’t be injured too much. If she was Barton would make her go to a hospital, and she would have texted James to ask him to meet her there. Natalia hated hospitals, sterile and institutional, a reminder of the facility she grew up- no, was trained in. When a visit to one was unavoidable, they both preferred him to be at her side. 

 

Unfortunately, paranoia was a fickle friend and the comfort the lack of communication brought didn’t last long. It was possible that he was wrong, foolishly optimistic, and the radio silence from Natalia meant she was too injured to reach out. He was admonishing his mind for such fears, trying to repress them, when he heard the sound of a key turning in the lock of the front door. 

 

Natalia. 

 

When she stepped inside his heart ached at the sight of her. Blood splattered her face and turned the brilliant red of her hair a darker, more morbid shade. There was an ugly gash above her eyebrow and a string of pale bruises around her throat. When she looked at him her eyes were blank, devoid of any expected emotion. She seemed hollow and weary all at once. 

 

He stood frozen, trying to figure out the best plan of action to help her, as she regarded him for a moment before starting to strip herself of her weapons, carefully placing them into the closet by the front door.

 

“I didn’t think you’d still be up.” Even her voice was blank, empty. He’d rather she be broken, holding back choked sobs, filled with painful emotion, than this. This was harder to see, because it wasn’t the woman he loved. It was a shell of her. Natalia might as well have been still halfway around the world, because she would have been just as absent. 

 

“I’ll always wait up for you.”

 

He was relieved when the blankness wavered for a second and the corner of her mouth quirked up into what could almost be called half a smile. James stood silently as Nat finished disarming herself, and then took a slow cautious step towards her. When she didn’t flinch back at all, he drew Natalia too him. He wrapped his arms around her, and buried his face in her hair. She smelt like gunpowder, ash, and blood. It was a sickening familiar scent. But it was her, so he took comfort as he breathed it in. 

 

She didn’t relax into his embrace as he hoped she would. Nat stood stiff, awkward in his arms, but she let him hold her and for now that would be enough. 

 

“Я скучаю по тебе.” _I missed you._ He muttered, voice soft and gentle, trying to coax her from behind all the walls she’d put up. 

 

“Я скучал по тебе тоже.” _I missed you too._ She said it like it was something to be ashamed of, like she was scared to admit it. James couldn’t blame her for that. For so long, if Natalia had dared to utter such words the punishment that followed would have been cruel and torturous. 

 

James pulled back from the embrace to look at her, really look at her. She seemed to shrink under his gaze, folding in on herself. He reached up with his hand, the one of flesh, and brushed a stray bloody curl back from in front of her eyes. She leaned into his hand ever so slightly and even that minuscule bit of openness provided hope for him, that he could fix her. 

 

“Bath?”

 

She closed her eyes for a second, and he could practically see her turning over the idea in her head, deciding whether or not she felt safe to be with him. Eventually she nodded and he wrapped his arm around her waist to lead her to the bathroom. James was grateful now that one of Nat’s must haves when searching for an apartment was a luxuriously large bathtub. 

 

“Take off the tac suit.” He instructed her as he turned the tap to fill the tub with warm water. Nat quickly obliged, stripping out of her uniform with robotic movements. He had to force himself to tear his eyes away from the colourful mosaic of wounds across her skin. 

 

James unceremoniously dumped some of the lavender epsom salts he’d teased her about buying into the tub. He’d never admit it, considering how much he’d made fun of her for them, but he liked how relaxing they were and knew they’d be good for her now. He also pulled the shower head down from it’s hook, intending to wash the evidence of her latest mission from her skin and scalp. 

 

Natalia awkwardly stood in wait as James took his clothes off and climbed into the bath, beckoning her to follow. After a moment’s hesitation she did, and leaned back against his chest, letting out a shuddering breath. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. They just sat in a heavy yet comfortable silence for a moment before he gently pushed her to sit up and grabbed her shampoo. As he massaged her scalp to wash the blood that clumped in her hair, he felt Natalia slowly relax. By the time he’d finished with her hair, she was practically pliant under his touch. 

 

They sat in the bath until the warm water started to cool, and then James climbed out, wrapping a towel around his waist. He pulled the plug to drain the now pink toned water and held out a towel for Natalia. She clumsily stood and let him wrap it around her. James pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, right above the cut. Natalia flinched, just a bit, but it was enough to shake him. 

 

“сожалею.” _Sorry._

 

“Это нормально.” _It’s okay._ She muttered in response. 

 

“Вы позволите мне позаботиться об этом?” _Will you let me take care of it?_

 

Nat looked like she wanted to say no, and he put on his best pleading look, making it as hard as possible for her to refuse him. She smiled softly, fully aware of what tricks he was pulling and he felt triumphant at her expression. 

 

“Ты идиот.” _You’re an idiot._ Her voice was fond and loving. 

 

“Твой идиот.” _Your idiot._ He told her, pressing a kiss to her temple. “Позволь мне позаботиться о тебе.” _Let me take care of you._

 

“....Хорошо, но позвольте мне сначала позаботиться о моих волосах.Если я не буду чистить это, я буду похожа на маленькую сироту Энни, когда она высыхает.” _Fine, but let me take care of my hair first. If I don’t brush it I’ll look like little orphan Annie when it dries._

 

“Теперь это зрелище, которое я хочу увидеть.” _Now that is a sight that I want to see._

 

Nat didn’t bother gracing him with a reply, instead just rolling her eyes and going to grab her comb. While she did her hair, James went on a mission. First, he pulled on underwear and a pair of pyjama pants. Then he went to her drawer and pulled out a pair of underwear, and to his for a shirt. James set them both on the bed for Nat.

 

When she came out of the bathroom, James was pleased to see that she’d brought the first aid kit. It seemed she intended to live up to her word. Nat handed it over to him before she hung her towel over a chair by their bed, and pulled on the clothes he’d taken out for her. 

 

Normally a lack of verbal communication from Nat would unnerve him, but not in times like this. Her silence was a comfort, because it was a relaxed and weary thing, not tight with tension and distress. 

 

Nat sat obligingly on the bed while he applied butterfly bandages to the cut on her face and wrapped her bruised and split knuckles, brushing soft kisses over them as he did.

 

When he was satisfied that her wounds were adequately cared for, James sat down next to her on the bed and pulled her close to him. She let him pull her onto his lap and leaned against him. 

 

“Спасибо.” _Thank you._

 

“В любое время, кукла.” _Any time, doll._ He punctuated the words by bowing back to gently kiss the side of her neck. 

 

James was rewarded with a small content hum, and so he did it again, this time just behind her ear, before muttering to her. “Как вы думаете, вы можете немного поспать?” _Do you think you can get some sleep?_

 

Natalia tensed and he knew she was thinking of the demons in her mind, the nightmares that even all his gentle affections could never truly chase away. It was a long moment before she spoke, answering with an inquiry of her own, “Останься со мной?” _Stay with me?_

 

“Всегда.” _Always._

 

Seemingly satisfied with his answer, Nat moved back to the head of the bed and pulled back the covers, silently beckoning him to follow her. He did as she wanted and settled down beside her, pulling the blankets over both of them. Nat laid her head on his chest and he wrapped his arm around her. James was comforted by how quickly her breathing settled to a slow steady pace and he whispered, unsure if she was even awake to hear it, “Я люблю тебя.” _I love you._

 

If it wasn’t for his enhanced senses, he wouldn’t have heard her reply. 

 

“Я тоже тебя люблю.” _I love you too._

 

**Author's Note:**

> The Russian might be very wrong. I don’t speak it well, just enough to somewhat understand my grandmother, so if you have any corrections for the Russian, please comment below.


End file.
